‘Read and Analyze Before Indictment’

A graduate student of the Cuttington University (CU) has urged Liberians to “adopt the professional attitude of reading, analyzing and scrutinizing professional documents before passing a blanket indictment and judgment on both public and private officials”.

Clarence Momolu Kortu Massaquoi made the statement in an exclusive interview with the Daily Observer.

He said his comment emanated from the backdrop of the huge exchanges among the broad spectrum of the Liberian society following official audit reports release by the General Auditing Commission (GAC).

“I was shocked, disappointed and taken aback by the mass assembly of university students that carried banners and placards in demand of the resignation of Liberia’s Finance Minister Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan as a result of the GAC audit report,” he said.

The GAC audit report allegedly linked the Ministry of Finance (MOF) boss to the disappearance of US$5 million from that highly placed Liberian Government’s financial agency.

“The GAC report,” Mr. Massaquoi argued, “also allegedly linked Minister Ngafuan to financial transactions carried out prior to his appointment as Minister of Finance, a professional contradiction and an intellectual transgression and injustice at every level.”

He also frowned on the action of the GAC and other Liberians who are consistently accusing other Liberians, especially Government officials without lifting the burden of proof on their own shoulders.

“With all fairness, legal and professional stand points,” he contended, “taking into consideration the professional track records of Minister Ngafuan, it is indeed impossible for that gentleman to mortgage his moral character and integrity for the sake of public money.”

Mr. Massaquoi was, however, quick to point out, Minister Ngafuan was not a perfect human being, “but with the current financial system in place at the MOF, no single individual or group of individuals can orchestrate any scandalous financial acts and succeed without being detected.”

In conclusion, Mr. Massaquoi urged Liberians across the country to continue exercising patience, fortitude, endurance and resilience as Government strived to develop the infrastructure and road network of the nation.